1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an antiglare system for a crash helmet with an outer and an inner helmet shell that has an eyeport, part of which can be covered by a sunshade.
2. Description of the Background Art
Crash helmets or protective helmets, particularly for motorcycle or snowmobile drivers, usually include a hard outer helmet shell and an inner, deformable shock-absorbing helmet shell. The designs known as full face helmets have an eyeport or visor opening that is bordered on the bottom by a chin protector and that can be covered by a visor made of transparent material that moves on pivot points on both sides of the eyeport in order to protect the eyes from dust, impacting insects, etc. Also known are helmets called jet helmets, whose eyeports are open at the bottom in the vertical direction. These helmets are available with and without visors.
The human eye is not capable of adapting quickly and effectively enough when the sun is low in the sky or when encountering oncoming lights in the dark. Consequently, painful dazzling of the eyes and premature fatigue on the part of the driver or helmet wearer can occur. While effective antiglare protection must be achieved very quickly in the case of dazzling, it is important during periods of darkness that as much light as possible reach the driver's eyes.
Known from G 83 33 346.0 U1 is a crash helmet with an outer and an inner helmet shell having an eyeport that can be closed by a visor and can be partially covered by a sunshade. An antiglare shield can slide into a pocket-like recess in the helmet shell above the edge of the visual field. Depending on light conditions, the antiglare shield can be moved down into the visual field before or during travel.
A disadvantage of the known antiglare protection is that an appropriate recess must be incorporated in the crash helmet, and as a result, the protection cannot be retrofitted universally. Moreover, a suitable receiving pocket and a requisite adjustment mechanism for the adjustment is complicated and relatively expensive. Individual adjustment during travel can also lead to inattention on the part of the driver with concomitant hazard.
Known from DE 35 17 411 A1 is a sunshade that is removably attached in the upper visual field of a protective helmet visor. Disadvantages of this known antiglare protection are, firstly, that only helmets with protective helmet visors intended for this purpose can be retrofitted with the sunshade part, and secondly, that 20% to 70% of the area of the visor plate is covered by this part. This means that the visor must be raised, as stated, for example for travel through tunnels, so that the visual conditions improve appropriately in a tunnel.
In addition, a crash helmet is known from EP 0 590 255 A1 that has an additional visor as a sunshade mounted on the outer helmet shell.
The additional visor can be moved, by means of an operating element guided in a longitudinal slot, from a first position that leaves the visual field free to a second position that partially covers the visual field.
A disadvantage of this known design as well is that the driver must take at least one hand from the handlebar in order to operate the operating element or swivel mechanism, and precisely at a point when the driver's full attention is needed. Moreover, it is difficult to operate a swivel mechanism with a gloved hand while driving. At the onset of darkness, such antiglare protection must be removed from the line of sight. A further disadvantage is that the driver cannot react quickly enough to changing light conditions. Furthermore, such a crash helmet requires a great deal of design effort and is relatively expensive as a result. In addition, protruding edges of the operating element can cause wind noise in the helmet.